Kerala Police Arrest Key Figure in International Organ Trafficking Gang

On a tip-off, the Kerala police arrested a man suspected to be a key figure in an international human trafficking gang. Following his arrest, the police collected vital information regarding the functioning of the organ trade gang.

Kochi:The Kerala Police intensified the investigation into the case of organ trafficking. Sabith, a native of Thrissur, was arrested by the Nedumbassery Police on Sunday. Following his arrest, the police collected vital information regarding the functioning of the organ trade gang. It is learnt that the accused gave a statement to the police that he used to bring donors to Iran via Kuwait and they underwent surgery to collect the organs in a hospital there. Accused Sabith was getting Rs 10 lakhs once he handed over a person to the organ racket gang.

The police received important information related to organ trafficking from the accused phone, which is in police custody. Further details have not been released by the investigation team at this stage as it is affecting the investigation.

The modus operandi of the accused is to approach people with financial difficulties and offer them money and send them abroad. The gang through its agents in India find financially vulnerable persons suitable for selling their organs. Then they are being offered money and there after they will be handed over to the organ mafia abroad.

Sabith was arrested from the Nedumbassery Airport after returning from abroad. The arrested accused will be produced in Angamaly Magistrate Court. The police will also submit a custody application for the accused. The police believe that if the accused, who was hand-in-glove with the international organ racket, is interrogated, they will get crucial information. National investigation agencies also started preliminary investigations into the incident involving human trafficking and organ selling.

The police indicated that more people will be arrested in this case. They further stated in the FIR that the accused engaged in the organ trade with the intention earning money illegally. Sabith falsely made the victims believe that it is legal to donate organs after receiving payment. The victims were tricked and smuggled abroad. The preliminary report of the police also states that the kidneys of the victims were transplanted to the patients for payment. In this way, the accused took about 20 people to Iran. Nineteen of them are from other states and one is a Malayali from Palakkad.